Abidemi Rufai, an associate of Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun, has been released from a U.S. prison after serving time for multimillion-dollar fraud.
Rufai, 47, was freed from Fort Dix Federal Correctional Institution in New Jersey on November 15, 2024, according to correctional documents obtained by Peoples Gazette.
Rufai, widely known as “Elele Ruffy,” pleaded guilty in 2022 to charges of tax fraud and aggravated identity theft, leading to a 60-month prison sentence. The charges were supported by 100,000 pages of evidence presented in a federal court in Tacoma, Washington. He was also ordered to pay $607,000 in restitution to U.S. government agencies across several states.
Originally scheduled for release on February 14, 2025, Rufai’s sentence was shortened after a judge approved a motion for early release under revised sentencing guidelines. His Nigerian passport, confiscated during legal proceedings, was returned on October 21, 2024, in preparation for his deportation, a condition he agreed to in his guilty plea.
In addition to his U.S. penalties, a Nigerian court seized Rufai’s mansion in Lekki and froze his bank accounts following fraud charges filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
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Rufai, once known as a ringleader of internet fraud in Lagos and Ogun states, was incarcerated alongside notorious fraudsters Ramon Abbas, alias Hushpuppi, and Jacob Ponle, known as Mr. Woodberry, who are still serving sentences in the U.S.
It remains unclear whether Rufai will resume his role as an aide to Governor Abiodun, who himself faced fraud allegations in Florida over three decades ago, though details of that case remain undisclosed.
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